MALVERN Town moved into the second round of the Worcester Royal Infirmary Cup in a hard fought local derby at Pershore on Tuesday night thanks to an early Chris Thomas strike.

PERSHORE TOWN 0, MALVERN TOWN 1

Malvern started the more composed of the two sides and the pace of Chris Thomas and Matt Upton posed a constant threat to the home defence, twice Thomas broke free, but after cutting inside shot wide with his less favoured left foot.

Upton and Phil Slade also went close.

Town went ahead after 25 minutes when pacy winger Thomas once again outstripped Pershore's ex-Coventry full back Dean Emerson, this time though Thomas sought to cross rather that shoot, but ironically saw the ball come back off the far upright, before rolling along the line and trickling in off the opposite post. A bit fortuitous perhaps, but no more than Town deserved.

After this Town never really had the same grip on proceedings and their task was made more difficult when the impressive Upton was carried off with concussion.

During the lengthy stoppage time played at the end of the first half Pershore's ex-Town striker Simon Brain thought he had equalised, but the referee disallowed the goal after the linesman had adjudged that Brain had handled.

Malvern began the second period with renewed purpose and Lee Hooper fired narrowly wide and moments later set up returning mid fielder Mark Brooks who delayed his shot crucially and saw it deflected.

Pershore then began top assert themselves more and Brain, Concannon and Preece all might have levelled, whilst at the other end Slade saw a goalbound shot deflected for a corner and Thomas fired over with only the keeper to beat.

Town though provided the last real action of the game, when an excellent Adam Higgins cross, needed only the simplest of touches, but Thomas agonisingly failed to make contact with the goal at this mercy.

Town assistant manager Richard Anson said: "It was a closer game than it might have been, we were disrupted a bit when Matt Upton was carried off, but Lee Hooper did well, and it was encouraging that Mark Brooks lasted his first senior 90 minutes since his Summer cartilage operation.

"Overall a trip to Pershore with a bit of local rivalry is never going to be easy and we probably were not helped by a ten day lay off. But if you look at our last three games, all away and all difficult, then we have to be happy with two wins and a draw."

Town: Alden, Higgins, Walker, Damore, Clayton, Mogford (Dugdale), Ward (Davies), Thomas, Slade, Upton (Hooper).

Town Reserves, who moved into the second round of the WFA Junior Cup following a tense 7-6 penalty shoot out success against Fernhill Heath last Thursday (the score was 1-1 at the end of extra time), are away to Chaddesley Corbett tomorrow (Saturday) in the Express and Star Division One (South), kick off 2.45pm.